For most American artists of my generation, our first contact with the sublime and in-turn art was within the deep space of pop culture: a book cover, a poster, a TV show, a movie. My own awakening came from looking at a Chris Foss book that my older brother stole from our local library. Chris Foss is a science fiction illustrator responsible for hundreds of scifi novel covers as well as concept illustrations for Ridley Scott’s seminal 1979 film, Alien. When I saw Chris Foss’ watercolors of hulking ships adrift in space with colored gases leaking into the vacuum, I was stunned. Not only by the concept of our future demise within the promise of technology, but also by the material aspect of the painting- the stains of watercolor depicting gas in zero gravity.

Show#5: First Contact recreates our first glimpse at the power of science fiction imagery and its unique parallel to the experience of being an adolescent. Our first contact with scifi was also our first contact with adolescent curiosity, social confusion, sexuality, and the expansive world of technology. The works in this exhibition combine paintings by women of awkward adolescent boys gazing out in wonder and lust into a room filled with scifi influenced contemporary art. Guests of the gallery will fall under the gaze of the boys and walk amongst the hulking mass of work that entrances them.

Field Projects will be open June 28 - July 15, Thur - Sun 12-6 or by appointment.

Field Projects

Field Projects Gallery

Field Projects is an artist-run project space and online venue dedicated to emerging and mid-career artists. Centered on long-term curatorial projects, Field Projects presents monthly exhibitions at their Chelsea location in addition to participating in pop-up exhibitions and art fairs. The gallery invites artists to submit their work for consideration twice a year through an open call submission process.